Recently, data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) show that in 2025, U.S. imports of heavy rare earth compounds and metals are expected to be 100 tons, increased by 35.14% year-on-year.
In 2025, the average price of terbium oxide in the United States is approximately USD 1,010/kg, increased by 24.38% year-on-year; the average price of dysprosium oxide is approximately USD 239/kg, decreased by 7.00% year-on-year; the average price of holmium oxide is approximately USD 70/kg, increased by 4.48% year-on-year; the average price of erbium oxide is approximately USD 46/kg, increased by 6.98% year-on-year; the average price of ytterbium oxide is approximately USD 15/kg, increased by 7.14% year-on-year; the average price of lutetium oxide is approximately USD 888/kg, increased by 13.85% year-on-year.
Import Sources (2021–24): Although there are no domestic trade codes for individual heavy-rare-earth materials, shipping records indicated that the United States imported heavy rare earths. Terbium compounds and metals: China, 100%. Holmium compounds and metals: China, 100%. Erbium compounds and metals: Germany, 51%; China, 40%; and Netherlands, 9%. Ytterbium compounds and metals: China, 86%; Germany, 4%; Chile, 4%; Republic of Korea, 3%; and other, 3%. Lutetium compounds and metals: China, 100%. Compounds and metals imported from Chile, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands were derived from mineral concentrates and chemical intermediates produced elsewhere. Import sources do not include heavy rare earths contained in value-added intermediates and finished products.
In April 2025, China tightened its export controls on rare-earth elements, adding specific controls on alloys, compounds, metals, and oxides of samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. In October, China expanded its rare-earths export controls to include europium, holmium, erbium, thulium, and ytterbium. In November, China suspended the October export controls for 1 year. The April export controls remained in effect, although China began to issue general export licenses to selected exporters.
